GM warns Canadian union it could wind down striking SUV plant

Talks between General Motors and Canadian union Unifor seem to have broken down after the automaker mentioned it might wind down production of the Chevrolet Equinox at the striking CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario.

Unifor leader Jerry Dias told Reuters on Wednesday that GM officials said they would ramp up production of the vehicle at two plants in Mexico that build the Equinox and a similar model, the GMC Terrain if the walkout is not called off.

The strike has been fueled by union opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dias has said Unifor will not back any deals unless they're confident that more jobs won't be shifted to Mexican plants. "They have declared war on Canada".

The plants will assemble the model for the North American market, according to United States Unifor representative Jerry Dias.

The workers at the plant, which produces the hot-selling Chevy Equinox, walked off the line more than four weeks ago and GM is beginning to feel the pinch.

"In that picturesque town west of Toronto, workers at the CAMI automotive plant are on strike over a reasonable proposal that their employer, General Motors of Canada, refuses to accept. - enhanced job security language", Dias said. "Once we solve this, everything else will fall into place".

The strike by Unifor workers at GM's plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, is in its fourth week and shows no signs of ending.

The Equinox was the second best-selling model in the United States Chevrolet lineup in September, and GM had just 41 days worth of the vehicle in stock at the end of last month, according to Automotive News.id by phone from Washington.